Alchemia (ASX:ACL) has revealed that its phase III trial of HA-Irinotecan in metastatic colorectal cancer failed to meet the primary end point of an improvement of PFS against the control group. [ + ]

CSL (ASX:CSL) will pay around $310m to acquire Novartis's flu vaccine business and merge it with bioCSL - in a deal expected to create the second largest player in the global market. [ + ]

The European Medicines Agency has voted to grant marketing authorisation to Clinuvel's Scenesse in rare and severe skin disorder erythropoietic protoporphyria. [ + ]

An unsuspected link between the mammalian immune system and the communication systems of simpler organisms such as bacteria has been uncovered.

Novogen (ASX:NRT) said lab studies of drug candidate Trilexium show its potential in treating paediatric diffuse pontine glioma and paediatric neuroblastoma cells. [ + ]

Having developed an expertise in the social side of science, the CEO of the Cooperative Research Centre Association, Professor Tony Peacock, is putting his skills to the test in building collaborations between researchers, industry and the community. [ + ]

The Royal Australian Chemical Institute National Congress, to be held in Adelaide from 7-12 December, will be the largest gathering of Australian chemists since 2005 and everyone is welcome. Over 100 plenary, keynote and invited speakers have been drawn from around the world and represent some of the most important work in the chemical community.

The Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research (WMI) has been opened by Prime Minister Tony Abbott and NSW Premier Mike Baird, bringing together several centres of research which were previously spread across six locations on the Westmead hospital campus. [ + ]

Sirtex Medical (ASX:SRT) has completed its SIRFLOX trial of its SIR-Spheres in inoperable liver cancer and is making progress recruiting patients in three other trials. [ + ]

Long-awaited restoration in the tax treatment of employee share schemes (ESS) and the announcement that Australian manufacturers of medical devices will be able to register routine medical devices using certification from European bodies were amid the changes that AusBiotech warmly welcomed when the government released its Industry Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda (IICA). [ + ]

Australia excels in biomedical research but sucks at commercialisation. Professor Frank Gannon says that needs to change. [ + ]

CSL (ASX:CSL) chairman Professor John Shine used his AGM address to announce a $950m share buyback and detail the company's achievements over the past 12 months. [ + ]

Recognised as this year's distinguished Lemberg Medalist at the ComBio2014 meeting, Professor Marilyn Anderson reflects on a research career that began with organic chemistry and moved through oncogenes and cloning technology to settle in plant biology, and continues to span basic research to commercialisation. [ + ]

The current Ebola crisis has demonstrated that 'inadvertent' contamination is very hard to eradicate and can have deadly consequences. [ + ]

While there is absolutely no scientific evidence that crystals can be used to predict the future or provide protection or healing, they play a critical role in establishing the structure of matter.